Chapter 14

Sora and the others landed on the world. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary…that was good. The group reached the Coliseum without meeting any Heartless.

They were surprised to find that Hercules wasn't there. After a cursory glance about, they went in to ask Phil if everything was okay.

The goat-man ran up to them when they entered.

"Sora! Donald! Goofy! Did you guys see Herc anywhere?" He asked, obviously worried.

"No…he's not here? Then were is he?" Sora asked, surprised. Phil shook his head.

"I don't know…some guy showed up out of nowhere and challenged him to a fight outside the Coliseum…I told him the guy was trouble, but the kid went out and hasn't come back…I'm getting worried…that guy was BIG, and I got this weird feeling in my gut when he came in…I think Herc's in trouble." Phil replied.

Sora thought quickly. This person…he might have connections with Hades or the Remnant, and that meant it was unlikely he had Hercules's best interests in mind…

"We'll find him, Phil. Don't worry." Sora reassured Phil. The group walked out, and saw a dark cloud on the horizon. They quickly rushed over.

The cloud was hovering over a stadium that seemed to be made out of carved black marble. As they ran up, Hercules sailed past. He hit the ground with considerable force. Sora helped the hero up.

"Herc! What happened?" It took a moment for Hercules to focus in on Sora. It was obvious from the wounds on his face and body he'd been savagely attacked.

"…Sora…watch out…that man is dangerous…" He panted, pointing at his assailant. Sora turned and saw the man still standing in the ring.

He could be accurately described as "Mountainous." His armor was dark, spiky stone, and he stood practically twice Sora's height and three times his width. The man's face, like many of the people Sora had encountered recently, was hidden in the shadows of his helm. A pair of glowing yellow eyes could be made out. Sora's eyes traveled to the massive mace the man held in his hand.

"Who are you?" Sora asked, caught off guard by the man's appearance. The man turned to see Sora better. It was like watching a mountain landslide.

"I am called Titan. I have business with that man. Step aside, boy." The man rumbled. Sora and Riku stepped up.

"You want to attack Hercules, you've got to go through US!" Sora growled. The man cracked his neck, and the popping made Donald and Goofy wince. The man held up a fist full of unusual gems.

"Know what these are? These are the true Summoning Gems…they leave those charms you carry in the dust. With the power locked in here…I could destroy you with a wave of my hand." Sora tensed, but was surprised as the man tossed them aside.

"I will not use them to fight you, as I did not use them to fight your friend. I have my honor, and will not claim such an underhanded advantage. I will fight you with only my mace and my fists." Titan took on a fighting stance. Sora rushed forward without warning, bringing Oathkeeper crashing down on the man's armor.

It bounced off without leaving a scratch. A fist the size of a grapefruit, wrapped in hard, sharp stone, crashed into Sora's face. As Sora reeled, the monstrous mace swung into his stomach.

"Pathetic, WHELP. How did you come this far if you're so weak?" Titan spat. Riku leapt in, Way to the Dawn flashing.

Unfortunately, this met with similar failure. Titan smashed Riku aside.

Ugh…no wonder he didn't think twice about tossing aside those summon gems…he doesn't even need weapons…that armor's too tough! Sora thought, as he hit the ground hard.

Donald and Goofy attempted to rush in to help, but Titan met them with another swing of his mace and sent them flying.

"The mighty Keyblade Master and his cadre…I expected more from you." Titan said, shaking his head.

As Sora struggled to his feet, Hercules suddenly barreled out of nowhere and caught Titan in the stomach with his fist. While Titan reeled back, the wind knocked out of him, Hercules was unable to press the advantage he'd gained, shaking out his hand from the many small scratches it had acquired on its collision with Titan's armor.

Titan, however, was none the worse for the blow he'd taken, and dealt a savage punch to Herc's face. The hero collapsed from the force of it.

"You're strong, Hercules…and your heart would have been snatched up by a Heartless as a coveted meal long ago had it not been for that strength. But as it is, your heart and body are not strong enough to stand against me." Titan said, walking over to where Herc lay. He hefted his mace grimly.

"I bear you no ill will, but business is business. We have a deal with Hades, and that means you have to die." Titan said, lifting his weapon for a deathblow.

Sora's mind raced. If he didn't find a way to stop Titan now, Herc would die!

He suddenly realized that one of the summoning gems Titan had casually dropped was within arm's reach.

Not thinking about what it might be, Sora desperately grabbed it, gaining some hope when it dazzled with light.

"Whoever you are, give me strength!" Sora cried. The light suddenly formed into a wolf.

Titan turned suddenly.

"Fenrir?" The wolf growled, and Titan suddenly looked down at the ground beneath him.

"Oh—" Titan managed to get out. It's unknown what he was about to say next, but it was a safe bet it wasn't "Bother" or "Dear." He didn't get to finish his sentence, as the ground suddenly transformed into an enormous arm, launching him into the air with an impressive terrestrial punch.

Sora gingerly let go of the gem as he lost sight of the huge man. Fenrir faded.

However, Titan crashed back to earth, and got up, dusting himself off uncaringly.

"You won't get far using Earth attacks against me, kid, but I have to admit, you're more inventive than I thought." He picked Sora up by the wrist. He shook his head.

"I can toss aside my summoning gems, I could even put away my mace and armor…it doesn't seem that anything I could do could possibly make this a fair fight."

"What do you lot care about 'fair'?" Sora spat at the man holding him up. "You will stop at nothing to win! And you're trying to get rid of me no matter what that means you have to do!"

"Child, I gain no satisfaction from this. I merely do my duty as a member of the Remnant. I could have begun our bout by paralyzing you with magic and snapped your frail little spines like twigs. But I want you to die with a sword in your hands." Titan tossed Sora to the ground. "That way, I can't walk away thinking I didn't give you a chance to defend yourselves."

Sora got up.

"I don't care what you think…if you try to hurt my friends…I'll stop you." He panted.

Titan chuckled.

"Well said." He suddenly moved with a speed that didn't match his size, smacking the Keyblade from Sora's hands and bringing his knee into the boy's stomach. Sora fell back, and saw the sun blocked out as Titan raised his mace.

"So long, kid." Titan said, and the mace descended like a meteor.